Electrification in Dhaka is maintained by two different entities names Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) and Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO). Beyond the capital, the Power Development Board, Rural Electrification Board, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh and Rural Power Company Limited, operate at different levels to ensure power supply to the subscribers. Each company has its own procedures, forms and tariff plans for both domestic and commercial subscribers. Customers can also enquire about bill and can place complaints if required. DESCO also provides regular schedule for load shading for the metropolitan area of Dhaka.
The Rural Electrification Board (REB) is also playing a pivotal role through empowering rural people with supply of electricity. Recently, PDB has introduced bill payment over cell phones in Chittagong which is a giant leap towards technical modernization.
Bangladesh has small reserves of oil and coal, but potentially very large natural gas resources. Commercial energy consumption is around 71% natural gas, with the remainder almost entirely oil (plus limited amounts of hydropower and coal). Only around 18% of the population (25% in urban areas and 10% in rural areas) has access to electricity, and per capita commercial energy consumption is among the lowest in the world.
• Load shedding and voltage variation: The state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), which controls nearly three-fourths of the total generation capacity in Bangladesh, has resorted to load shedding as a means to reconcile demand to the available capacity. Load shedding is a significant constraint on growth of the economy.
• Operating Inefficiency: The power sector does not fare well in terms of operating efficiency. For example, Bangladesh requires considerably more employees per customer served than is the case in many countries.
• System loss: System loss occurs both for technical reasons and for reasons of inefficiency and corruption in administration. Exact figures of loss are unknown but, at approximately 30 per cent, the net country-wide system loss is probably among the highest in the developing world. The losses incurred differ dramatically across the various utilities.
• Unadjusted tariff structures and ineffective billing procedures: Many countries have been unable to establish tariff structures and billing procedures that enable the power sector to be financially self-supporting. The resulting losses require subsidies from government or donor agencies that divert revenue away from other important programmes, such as education and public health. This problem has afflicted the Bangladesh power sector entities to varying degrees.
